Missy Maintains » Exercise Class Review

Love Your Body, Move Your Body

MissyMaintains — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:18:24 +0000

Last night I attended a special intenSati event at Chelsea Studios called, LOVE YOUR BODY, MOVE YOUR BODY. The event was hosted by two amazing intenSati instructors, Natalia Pertzela and Erin Stutland.

About the event:

What we mean is that feeling and being your very best self means committing to go for it in EVERY part of your life, from body to work to love to friends to money. In 2012, we are committing to go for SUPERWOMAN status, no matter what!

Join us, Natalia Petrzela and Erin Stutland for our latest LOVE UR BODY, MOVE UR BODY event: kick off the year with an extended, super-charged intenSati workout (and special giveaways and discounts) guaranteed to get you inspired to call up your super powers in all areas of your life… RIGHT. NOW. READY FOR YOUR BEST YEAR EVER? WE ARE!

I take Natalia’s class every Thursday and Erin’s class every Friday at Equinox but jumped at the opportunity to take a class where they would be teaching together! Yes, Natalia is due to have a baby in 2 months and looks that amazing! It is good to know that intenSati is safe for pregnant women!

The class was an hour and a half and really fun! Natalia and Erin both have so much energy so I love when they teach together! There was a plank contest in the middle of class and I managed to be one of the last people to hold the plank! I guess I can do any exercise full out when there is a competition involved! I especially loved the fun dance combination that we did to end the class.

There were lots of cool sponsors at the event like K-Swiss. Did you hear that Jillian Michaels is the new face of K-Swiss? Love it!

A very cute (and Sati-like) apparel line called IAMMAI was also there offering discounts on all of the gear.

Blueprint Cleanse was also there with samples of all the juices! I loved every single one but am in no hurry to try a cleanse again after my Organic Avenue experience. If I do try another one, it will definitely be Blueprint!

Sweaty girls!

We got some nice goody bags to take home with lots of coupons and discounts!

After the class, I went home and made a grilled chicken sandwich with Laughing Cow, avocado, popchips, and a salad.

Yes, the chicken was pre-cooked from Trader Joe’s but I am still proud of myself for making dinner! I never show you my food these days so here you go!

Erin and Natalia will be holding these events every month so I will keep you updated of the next one!

What workout did you do yesterday?

Don’t forget to enter my $50 Spa Week Gift Card Giveaway!

A New Goal: Refine Method

MissyMaintains — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:52:26 +0000

Back when I was blogging on a regular basis, I would set goals for myself at the beginning of every month. Looking back on my posts now, I had one similar goal every single month – to add more strength training into my exercise routine! For example, when I was setting my goals for August of 2011, I wrote:

Obsession, addiction….call it what you want but I just love intenSati so much! The only problem with this? I’ve really been lacking in my weight training and strength routine. I used to go to a strength class about three times a week. Lately, I’ve been going to maybe one strength class a week. I believe weight training is more important than cardio since it burns calories all day long after working out instead of just during that one hour of intense cardio. I see more results when I strength train and also feel stronger and more fit.

I feel the exact same way five months later! I have a problem skipping intenSati for strength training so I end up not doing it at all. Now that it is the start of 2012, I’ve decided to set the same goal for myself again. This time, I will go to a class called Refine Method at least twice a week. I will add a third strength class at Equinox such as 30/60/90 or Deep Extreme (both taught by intenSati instructors!) Let’s discuss Refine Method a bit more.

Back in September of 2010, I attended the Refine Method Launch Party. Dori is close friends with the founder, Brynn Jinnett, so I tagged along to see the studio and learn more about the class.

Me, Brynn, and Dori...in 2010!

I took the class back then and loved it but got lazy and stopped going just because it was not convenient for me. I tend to only go to classes that are close to my work because I already spend long enough on the subway as it is. The studio is about a 40 minute commute from my work as well as from my apartment. I did not go for a whole year because of this which is pretty ridiculous considering how great of a workout it is. Luckily, I have Refine-obsessed friends that invited me to come to class last week during my vacation. Thank you Dori and Cameo. I had no plans or work for 12 days straight so I happily agreed to commute to the city to do Refine with friends! I am now hooked all over again and think the class is worth a little bit of extra time on the subway! But wait! I just got amazing news about ten minutes ago!

Refine is opening a second location in Union Square this Spring!

This is perfect for me because I go to Equinox in Union Square almost every day and I can even walk there from work! Yes!

More About Refine (from the website):

Refine is a boutique fitness studio on the Upper East Side where small group classes are trained in our signature Refine Method. The Refine Method features a seamless circuit-style technique called Metabolic Resistance Training, utilizing our exclusive Refine equipment system. Our goal is to unite exercise science with the aesthetic objectives of our clientele.

Benefit from Cardio and Resistance Training Together: Through resistance training, we produce a cardio burn while building metabolically-active lean muscle, the antidote to traditional repetitive cardio and the most efficient way to change your shape.

I love that the class combines both strength and cardio into one hour. After a typical Core Fusion class, I still feel like I need cardio because I barely sweat. This is not the case at all with Refine! I am drenched after every class since it is very fast-paced and combines cardio intervals with challenging, full body strength moves. The class starts off with push ups and planks and is followed by three circuits which include strength moves using the pulley system as well as kettle bells. In between the strength exercises, there are fast cardio exercises such as sprints, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, etc. I went to class last night and we did squats, lunges, and more squats all while doing challenging arm exercises with the pulleys. Let’s just say I can barely walk today! The instructors are amazing and not one class is ever the same. I know exactly why Refine was named New York Magazine’s Best New Workout of 2011.

The first class is free so I highly suggest trying it out for yourself! For more information and class schedules, visit http://refinemethod.com.

I am very confident that if I stick with my goal and go to Refine two or three times a week, I will see results and will be in the best shape of my life.

Do you prefer boutique studio classes or a gym?

Focus On: IntenSati

MissyMaintains — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 15:18:06 +0000

Hello! Hope everyone had a nice July 4th weekend! I will post a recap of my holiday weekend in a couple of days! For now, please check out my guest post on The Fitnessista about intenSati!

For those of you in NYC this summer, I will be teaching the following free intenSati classes! I hope you can make it!

Monday, August 15 at 6:30pm
What: Shape Up NYC
Where: Tony Dapolito Recreation Center
1 Clarkson Street
New York, NY 10014
Cost: FREE

Wednesday, August 17 at 6:30pm
What: Shape Up NYC
Where: Tony Dapolito Recreation Center
1 Clarkson Street
New York, NY 10014
Cost: FREE

Wednesday, August 31 at 6:30pm
What: Shape Up NYC
Where: Tony Dapolito Recreation Center
1 Clarkson Street
New York, NY 10014
Cost: FREE

Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30pm
What: Shape Up NYC
Where: Tony Dapolito Recreation Center
1 Clarkson Street
New York, NY 10014
Cost: FREE

Have a great day!

Flywheel Spin Class: Round 2

MissyMaintains — Wed, 04 May 2011 13:11:17 +0000

I used to take spin class at least three times a week when I was a member of New York Sports Club. I took it more than any other class because I knew that it burned the most calories. While I did feel great afterwards, it kind of felt like torture during the class! I stopped suffering through spin once I discovered intenSati. When I first tried intenSati, I finally realized what it was like to have a great time in a gym class. I now feel more powerful and positive as a result of the practice, and happen to burn the same, if not more calories in class than I do in spin. I’ve tried taking spin a few times at Equinox but always find myself staring at the clock and thinking very negative thoughts for the entire hour. I decided to give spin one more try last week after receiving an invitation to Flywheel Sports, a fancy spin studio in Flatiron. Holly Ringer, a spin instructor at FlyWheel, sent me a very nice email that really got me excited about trying her class.

Missy, I enjoy your blog and especially enjoy your motivational and optimistic spirit! I have been using my life’s journey to help inspire and motivate people to acheive their fitness goals. I am currently a spin instructor, personal traininer and group fitness instructor based in Manhattan. I would love to invite you as my guest to one of my spin classes at Flywheel.

I tried a class at Flywheel last May and really loved the studio but was not a huge fan of the class. I had a feeling that I would enjoy Holly’s class this time around since she seemed very positive and inspirational just from the emails we had been exchanging. I walked into Flywheel on a Wednesday night and saw my coworker sitting in the waiting room. It was great to see a familiar face; and it made me feel even better when she assured me that Holly was the best instructor at Flywheel! I walked up to the desk and told the receptionist my name and that I was on the guest list. I definitely felt special when she said, “Oh, you are Holly’s guest!” She told me my bike number and gave me a pair of spin shoes to wear. She also invited me to a free apple or banana from the fruit bowl and showed me wear to pick up my complimentary bottle of water before the class. I felt very welcomed and of course, very excited about the free food and drinks!

One of my favorite things about Flywheel is the cool stadium seating.

Every bike is a good spot in class but I did find it nice that they placed me in the center of the room, in the second row. Holly came up to me before class, introduced herself to me, and helped me position my bike correctly. She explained the torque system to me as well:

Flywheel has a TorqBoard technology package that allows you to see your rpms, torque, and total power expended while you ride. There are also big screens in the studio where you can see your stats in comparison with other riders.

Holly had so much energy from the beginning of class to the very end. She was very inspiring and kept saying familiar affirmations that really motivated me to work as hard as I possibly could. She played really great music which is very important to me during a spin class. I loved that she did not just sit on her bike the entire class while giving us directions. Instead, she danced around the room, helped us with our posture, and yelled fun things like, “Yes! Let’s do it Wednesday night!” I could tell that she really had a passion for spin and fitness and loved every minute of teaching the class.

Photo Credit

I never felt the urge to look at a clock and the 45 minutes flew by! I loved that halfway through the class, we were instructed to pick up mini body bars for some arm exercises.

The bars seemed light but my arms were burning after doing several repetitions of the exercises. This was a great way to break up the class and made me feel one step closer to getting amazing arm muscles like Holly’s!! I felt great after the class and really worked up a sweat! I was excited that I actually liked a spin class again.

After the class, Holly and her assistant took some time to talk to me about the blog. They were both really sweet and invited me to come back again soon. I highly recommend trying Holly’s class if you ever take spin at Flywheel. Her positivity and encouragement made the class very enjoyable and fun. Holly teaches at Flywheel on Monday and Tuesday mornings at 9:30am and on Wednesday nights at 6:30pm. Check out HollyRingerFitness for details on her bootcamp and personal training packages!

Are you a fan of spin class? How often do you take it?

The Body NYC: A Month in Review

MissyMaintains — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:40:02 +0000

Wow, less than one week left in March! One of my goals for the month was to take four to five classes at The Body. I purchased a Groupon for a month of unlimited classes there and it expired yesterday! I will admit that I did not go five times a week because there are certain intenSati classes that I refuse to miss! I did go as much as my schedule would allow and would like to share my overall thoughts about the class and the studio.

The Body is described on the website as a 55 minute High Energy class consisting of a sequence of exercises at the Ballet Barre to transform Your Body to The Body.

The Body class begins with a warm up consisting of upper body strengthening with free weights, push ups, planks, and tricep dips to strengthen and tone all muscles of the upper body to Sculpt the Arms.
The class then moves to the Ballet Barre and by using your own body weight you will move through a sequence of exercises for an intense workout of your thighs, hips and gluts to create Long Lean Thighs, and A Tight Butt.
This is followed by an extensive core workout to give you Rock Hard Abs. The class ends with back dancing and stretching exercises to Lengthen The Body.
Throughout the class you will be motivated with fun, energizing music.

I was very excited to try this class again since I had not taken it since 2009 (with my mom who was wearing leopard pants). I am pretty in love with any barre method style class but unfortunately my wallet is not so in love with the price of these classes. Normally a month at The Body is $300 but the Groupon was only $99. I do think I got my money’s worth and would like to share the positives and negatives about my experience.

Postives

The class itself was very challenging and an amazing workout! I was taking intenSati almost every day and started to miss the great feeling of strength training. I left every class at The Body not being able to walk up the subway stairs! I love when my thighs shake to the point where I want to cry!
Every class was different from the next. Every teacher was extremely different and I never knew what to expect going into each class. We always did different variations of planks, pushups, gluteal and abdominal exercises. The class never got boring or predictable.
Location. The studio is at Lexington and 62nd which is as close as I am going to get to Queens while still being in Manhattan. It is also right next to the F train. A studio must be right near the subway station or else I probably won’t go.

Class size. The classes always contained about 3 to 5 students. I’m not sure if this is because of all the competition out there but it was nice for individualized attention (although I was craving more). The studio is pretty small so there was always plenty of room. When I went two years ago, the class was extremely crowded and there was no room to move.
Abs. I have to throw this one in here. One of my favorite things about this class was that we never had to do C curve to work our abs!! I love Core Fusion but I dread the C curve at the end of every class. I just can’t get low enough and it bothers my back. The only time we did C curve at The Body was once a week with one specific teacher. I will get into that later.

Negatives

Price. As I mentioned before, a month of unlimited classes there is $300 a month. A single class is $33.00. Honestly, I have no idea where they get off charging this much. They only have one location, one type of class, and not enough class times. If I am going to spend $300, I will join Exhale Spa where I can take Core Fusion, Yoga, Core Fusion Cardio, etc….at any time of day, at several different locations!
Class schedule. There were only two classes early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. I would have liked a few afternoon classes. I also would have liked to go on Tuesday and Thursday mornings before work but there were no classes before 9am. If I am going to spend $300, I want to have access to fitness classes at any time of day!
Variety of classes. There were only three types of classes on the schedule: Beginner/Open, Open, and Open/Advanced. I tried Open and Open/Advanced and could not tell the difference between the two. The website lists a few other classes such as BODY Stretch, BODY Teen, and Belly to the Barre Prenatal Series. I obviously don’t need the second two but I would have loved to take BODY Stretch. I am wondering why they don’t offer that class anymore.
Personal attention. For a 3 to 5 person class, I did not get corrected nearly enough. Most of the instructors did the exercises in the front of the studio while we followed. I knew during some of the exercises that my form was not completely correct but I never knew how to fix it. I guess I am used to Core Fusion where the instructors walk around the entire time and help the students with the proper form and alignment. The instructors at The Body also did not seem nearly as knowledgeable as those at Exhale. I really like to hear each moved explained to me but this did not always happen at The Body.
Lack of equipment. I noticed that they only have about 5 or 6 playground balls there. There were a few occasions when there were more than 6 students so that meant we automatically could not use a playground ball in class that day. They also did not have 4 pound weights. I always used 3 and 5 pounds for arms but it would have been nice to have the option to use 4 pound weights.
No receptionist. There used to be a receptionist back in 2009 so I’m not sure what happened. There were a number of issues with this one. First, I tried calling the studio for about a week to redeem my Groupon and no one ever picked up. I had to physically walk into the studio, unsure if the class that day would be full or not. Second, the instructor of the class acted as the receptionist. Every time someone from the next class buzzed in from outside, she had to leave our class to open the door. This usually occurred during stretching at the end. It is not very zen to hear a buzzing and have your instructor leave class in the middle of explaining the stretches! I also learned not to arrive at the studio more than 15 minutes before the class time. The instructors do not arrive early so I was left waiting outside a few times. One day, it was pouring rain and my class was supposed to start at 6:30pm. There were 4 of us locked out until about 6:29pm! This meant that we had to rush to change and also lost a few minutes of class. On weekends, I felt like I could not shower there because the teacher of the class would have to wait the extra 45 minutes for me to finish getting ready. I walked across the street to Equinox a few times and showered in their fancy locker rooms instead.

I have just a few more thoughts about my experience at The Body. I found it really interesting that a Core Fusion teacher from Exhale Spa worked at The Body as well. Her class was an exact Core Fusion class (the one night a week I did have to do the C curve) and she even wore her Exhale socks!! It seems like The Body might not be doing too well so you would think that they would do everything in their power not to promote their biggest competitor. I do think the classes at The Body were awesome but there are so many other factors that would make me not want to pay for a membership. I am happy I tried it out for a month and would definitely purchase another Groupon there. The studio has a lot of potential so I do hope they add more classes, and a receptionist one day!

You can try your first class at The Body for free! More details here!

Check out my first post on the NBC New York: From Couch Potato to Fitness Junkie